The First-Of-Its-Kind Seminar on East Coast Rail Link – Economic Accelerator Project (ECRL – EAP) Business and Investment Opportunities
Achieving over 60% Completion Towards Yielding Abundance Economic Spillovers Across Four States
Kuala Lumpur, March 8, 2024 – The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has organised the first-of-its-kind Seminar on the East Coast Rail Link – Economic Accelerator Project (ECRL-EAP) Business and Investment Opportunities together with our strategic partners, the Malaysia Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. (MRL) and PLANMalaysia. This milestone event marks a significant stride forward following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the MIDA and China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC) in 2019 in Beijing, China.
The seminar was officially inaugurated by YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), and witnessed the attendance of key figures Federal and State Governments such as Chairman of MIDA, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob; CEO of MIDA, Datuk Wira Arham Abdul Rahman; CEO of MRL, Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak; and Director General of PLANMalaysia, TPr Dr. Alias Rameli, as well as State Executive Council Members from Kelantan, Terengganu, and Selangor: YB Mejar (B) Dato’ Haji Md Anizam Bin Ab Rahman, YB Tuan Mohd Nurkhuzaini Ab Rahman, and YB Tuan Ng Sze Han; Deputy State Secretary (Development) of Pahang, YH Dato’ Ali Syahbana Bin Sabaruddin. This gathering of over 200 participants from GLICs, property developers, industry leaders, SMEs and business associations underscored the seminar as a vital platform for fostering networking, collaboration, and insight sharing.
In his keynote address, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of MITI lauded, “The ECRL is poised to be a game-changer for Malaysia, linking us more closely to the Pan-Asia railway network and enhancing our connectivity with ASEAN and the EURASIA regions. Valued at almost RM75 billion, the ECRL – linking Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor – is also a cornerstone for socio-economic growth and is expected to increase Malaysia’s GDP by 3.78% by 2047.”
He highlighted that, as of February 2024, the project has reached an impressive completion rate of 62.4%, with the alignment in each state progressing steadily towards the finish line. This current completion rate underscores the ECRL-EAP’s crucial role in driving economic parity across Malaysia, in line with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 agenda, especially Mission 4, which focuses on safeguarding economic complexity and security, to further promote inclusivity and shared prosperity.
Chairman of MIDA, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob, expressed, “As we aim for a united, prosperous, and dignified Malaysia, it’s essential to focus on restructuring our economy towards innovation and high-value, knowledge-based activities. The ECRL project is a cornerstone of this vision, promising to generate business and employment opportunities, particularly in industrial parks, logistics hubs, and transit-oriented developments.”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MRL, Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said, “We anticipate the ECRL to accelerate the shift of cargo movements from road to rail to help ease congestion and environment-related concerns such as lower carbon footprints when it operates in less than three years’ time. Furthermore, the ECRL will be an electrified rail network that will be operated with renewable energy, thus, providing green logistics for Peninsular Malaysia and in particular the East Coast states.”
He further added, “The ECRL–EAP aims to maximise the potential of the 20 ECRL stations that will be featured along the ECRL corridor, consisting of 10-passenger only stations and another 10 stations combining for passenger & freight. This corresponds with the business model projection of the ECRL, wherein it anticipates that 70 percent of its revenue will primarily come from the freight sector, with the remaining 30 percent stemming from passenger services.”
A highlight of the event was the official handover of the ECRL Integrated Land Use Master Plan (PeGTaECRL) from Director General PLANMalaysia to the CEO of MIDA. This momentous occasion signifies a new chapter in Malaysia’s strategic development, with the PeGTaECRL, serving as a blueprint for development along the ECRL routes. Focused on the 20 strategically identified stations, the plan aims to attract investments and foster harmony between the country’s East and West Coast regions. The collaboration between PLANMalaysia and MIDA underscores a commitment to integrated planning, economic growth, and regional connectivity. By aligning land use planning with transportation infrastructure, the PeGTaECRL aims to optimise development opportunities, enhance connectivity, and promote balanced progress across the country’s east and west coasts.
MIDA, alongside its strategic partners, is committed to promoting the ECRL-EAP to its fullest potential. Local and international investors are invited to participate in these economic transformative projects, while stakeholders are encouraged to engage in capacity-building activities to drive the project’s success.
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About MIDA
MIDA is the government’s principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 21 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube channel.
About MRL
MRL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) [MOF (Inc.)], is the project owner of the ECRL. It is an electrified railway project by the Government of Malaysia linking the East Coast states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang) to the Klang Valley region. ECRL connects state capitals, major urban centres, industrials hubs, ports, airports, and tourism zones and it interchanges with existing railway line in Peninsular Malaysia. ECRL is poised to help boost Malaysia’s economy and is also part of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) Masterplan to achieve equitable growth and development between the east coast and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The ECRL is scheduled for operation in January 2027 and expected to link Kota Bharu to ITT Gombak in 4 hours as compared to 7 hours by road transport or some 12 hours or more during festive seasons.
For more information, please contact:
MIDA
Sukri Abu Bakar
Director, Domestic Investment Division
Tel.: +603-2267 3685
Email: [email protected]
MRL
Yong Min Wei
Tel.: +6012 3866 123
Email: [email protected]
